It's Okay For A King To Cry
by GlitterFrog
Summary: Jack is having a rough day, and his dearest friend is there to comfort him.


(A/N: Guess who's not dead! I've been having a rough time lately and decided to upload this. It's been sitting in a notebook for a while and just never saw the light of the Internet. Not sure why. Anyway, this is dedicated to anyone who feels lonely or low- or both. Think of it as a hug, okay?

To anyone who is still hoping for Fun With Jack and Sally, bless you all. I'm pleased to say the story's not dead, just hibernating. Also hey look who knows how to properly space paragraphs and quotes now)

As the Mayor droned on, Jack could feel himself shutting down and drifting away. The skeleton king met the politician's eyes but did not see. As Jack stood before the bipolar politician and felt the weight of admiring gazes, it occurred to him that not a single monster among them knew or cared about the emptiness that was chewing away at his chest.

He hadn't wanted to get out of his soft, warm bed that day. He'd forced himself to choke down a breakfast that had tasted like sand. He'd gotten dressed and wrestled his tie into submission just so even though he felt anything but businesslike and kingly.

Not a soul in town knew a thing about that. As long as he slapped on a skeleton grin and remained dapper and unflappably perfect, all was well. Jack felt upsetness building in his chest and tamped it back down again. There was no room for that. He had a job to do, an image to maintain. An afterlife to endure.

Only when the Mayor's face flipped round to his anxious side did Jack realize that it was his turn to speak.

Covering up his inner startle, the Pumpkin King suggested, "I would go with a candy corn theme and black crepe paper."

Instantly the political nightmare's too-wide smile tested the limits of his happy face. "Well, thank you kindly. What would I do without you, Jack?"

"What indeed," Jack replied, with a smile that didn't quite reach his sockets.

As the Pumpkin King politely made his escape, with the Mayor still grinning after him, he could feel gravity tugging at his bony legs. He had to consciously resist the urge to drag his feet. The cloud-muddied sky overhead matched his current mood. Zero was up in the tower napping, and Jack wished that he was too.

"Jack?"

The voice was so soft that he nearly missed it. The skeleton king startled for the second time in as many minutes and glanced to the left. There, at his elbow, was his very best friend, her enormous eyes peeking up at him. At the sight of the shy bluish ragdoll, Jack felt a warm but genuine smile slip across what passed for his lips.

"Sally." He reached down for her hand, raised it to nearly his eye level, and gave it a kiss.

Instantly she tipped her head to the side, allowing a portion of her long reddish hair to flick out of place and shield her face. Jack chuckled softly and lowered their hands. He continued to cradle her tiny hand in his fingertips.

"What can I do for you, my dearest friend?"

Sally brushed her hair back, appearing to gather herself, and gazed up at him. Her moony eyes were filled with concern. "Is everything alright, Jack?" she asked, with utmost gentleness.

Jack gave her hand a squeeze. She worried so much. She didn't have to add him to her already substantial list. Jack tried on a carefree, reassuring smile but found that it didn't quite fit- the smile spread too wide, like a reflection in a funhouse mirror, stretching past its limits and then wavering.

Sally touched his finger bones. "Jack," she asked, even more softly than her previous inquiry, "Are you okay?"

The corner of the Pumpkin King's mouth twitched downwards. His ribcage felt too tight, and suddenly he was having to fight tears. He shook his skull, biting down on his forked tongue, gaze falling to his feet.

Sally folded her hand more firmly into his and tugged just slightly. "Let's sit down…"

Jack shook his skull again, needing to tell her that he was fine, that he couldn't afford any more downtime than was absolutely necessary with Halloween less than three weeks away. But the words bunched up and wouldn't come. Glistening tears welled up and spilled over, and he pressed his free hand across his trembling mouth.

Sally guided him to the cemetery gates and pushed one inward with her shoulder. It swung obediently with an unearthly groan, the sound compounded by the surrounding stillness.

The upsetness that had been broiling in Jack's chest tore loose, and he began to cry. Sally sat down awkwardly behind a cobwebbed crypt and patted the dead grass beside her. Jack all but collapsed in a clicking of bones and bent nearly in half, hiding his face in his angular arms as sobs wrenched his torso.

The patchwork creation scooted closer to him, opening her arms. Jack hid his face in her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her, crying uncontrollably. She made soft shushing noises, but not the sort that would tell him to actually shush, and rubbed his back. Her little hand was soft, and the rest of her softer still. Jack held her as tightly as he could without hurting her, shuddering in her arms.

The bluish ragdoll uttered soothing sweet nothings just above a whisper, holding him to her with both arms and allowing one hand freedom to tiptoe up and stroke his skull. Jack whimpered nearly inaudibly, and Sally began rocking him slowly. The master of fright was too sad to be embarrassed by the maternal gesture. In fact, he found it rather soothing. He sighed a shuddering sigh into Sally's shoulder and she stroked his spine. She smelled like pumpkin spice and herbs and fabric softener. It was calming and almost magical.

Over the next several minutes, as Jack settled down, his last hiccups abated. He sat still, sockets closed, wishing that Sally wouldn't let go. She didn't.

"Can- can we sit here just a minute longer?" Jack asked, very quietly.

Sally nodded. "We can stay here as long as you need to."

"What about the Mayor?" Jack was only half joking.

"I'll deal with the Mayor."

A moment passed. A snort escaped Jack at the image of Sally fending off the Mayor. Sally grinned and twisted one foot.

Jack sat up with a sigh. His heart still felt like a bowl full of candy that had been left out in the rain. His skull was pounding.

Gesturing downward, the Pumpkin King asked, "May I-?"

The introverted redhead worried at her lip but nodded.

Murmuring thanks, Jack laid down and rested his head in Sally's lap. Her thighs were soft and firm and just the right size- an all-natural pillow. His doll friend's long reddish hair hung close to his face.

He inhaled deeply, exhaling in a contented sigh. "You smell nice."

She averted her eyes. "Th-thank you, Jack."

Jack unsuccessfully fought back a yawn, and Sally noticed. "You could take a nap, if you like."

"Oh no, Sally, I couldn't possibly-"

He could barely keep his sockets open. "Maybe just a very short one."

Sally shifted so she could rest her back against the crypt. Jack closed his sockets. As her hand smoothed across his skull, he hummed in approval and rolled so he was pressing further into her hand. Under his dearest friend's caresses, he was asleep in under a minute.

The town, gripped by preparations as it was, would undoubtedly be thrown into a tizzy during his absence. Jack wasn't sure if he'd feel better upon waking. But he knew that he wouldn't be alone.


End file.
